Students who did not do well in the HSC? (1 Viewer)
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kalstar
swag
I just don't like what I'm doing right now.. at all LOL. But still I think I'm doing alright.
Aiming for a 75 WAM to transfer comm/eng
Aiming for a 75 WAM to transfer comm/eng
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Crobat
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Did alright in HSC - 97.5+.
Doing what I feel is better at uni - 82+ WAM (but it's about to drop after these finals).
I think the correlation between HSC and Uni is minimal at best. Uni is essentially HSC at a far higher level and I think there are far more reasons other than poor study habits and the like that contribute to people underperforming there - lack of motivation (a huge factor), the literal uselessness of the HSC (also a big one, especially for me), not needing a 99 ATAR because their degree cut-off is lower or because hey guess what? If it's still on your resume in your second year of uni good luck finding an employer who will take you seriously that's not the manager at Maccas or Sportsgirl. The former two factors carry on to uni if you pick the wrong degree of course, but people tend to pick up their game when they recognise the importance of something.
On balance though, excelling in the HSC has never been a demonstration of intelligence because the HSC doesn't test intelligence. It tests your game playing ability.
That is what I find to be the reason why some people struggle to transition, or transition really well; because people are suddenly confronted with the reality that their ability to adapt is dependant on how smart they actually are, as opposed to how smart the HSC told them they were.
There is of course a middle ground where people who excelled continue to excel and people who did poor continue to do poor but their existence does not negate what I think is the case in the categories you identified.
Doing what I feel is better at uni - 82+ WAM (but it's about to drop after these finals).
I think the correlation between HSC and Uni is minimal at best. Uni is essentially HSC at a far higher level and I think there are far more reasons other than poor study habits and the like that contribute to people underperforming there - lack of motivation (a huge factor), the literal uselessness of the HSC (also a big one, especially for me), not needing a 99 ATAR because their degree cut-off is lower or because hey guess what? If it's still on your resume in your second year of uni good luck finding an employer who will take you seriously that's not the manager at Maccas or Sportsgirl. The former two factors carry on to uni if you pick the wrong degree of course, but people tend to pick up their game when they recognise the importance of something.
On balance though, excelling in the HSC has never been a demonstration of intelligence because the HSC doesn't test intelligence. It tests your game playing ability.
That is what I find to be the reason why some people struggle to transition, or transition really well; because people are suddenly confronted with the reality that their ability to adapt is dependant on how smart they actually are, as opposed to how smart the HSC told them they were.
There is of course a middle ground where people who excelled continue to excel and people who did poor continue to do poor but their existence does not negate what I think is the case in the categories you identified.
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kalstar
swag
So true, HSC is a load of crap.
kalstar
swag
rote'ing since the beginning of time
someth1ng
Retired Nov '14
unforlornedhope
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This. It's ironic how everyone puts all their high hopes and dreams in uni and keeps thinking that if you didn't do well in high school, you will "magically” transform into someone great in uni, getting all the high distinctions and distinctions where in fact, most of the low achievers don't usually change their work ethics in uni and continue to do s*** in their degree. Only a small amount of people will turnover a new leaf, but it's such a low possibility for it to happen.
RishBonjour99
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1. Given that we are on BoS, I'll define 'didn't do well' as less than 90. Not many. This does not mean a student with an ATAR of 80 cannot do well in university. As long as they aren't doing the exact same thing they were doing during HSC (which didn't seem to work - assuming no family dramas etc) and put in more effort/good study group, they will do great.
2. Generally, those with high ATARS will also be getting top ranks in uni (need to sustain dat scholarship). For example, this was our stats ranks last sem: 1st/840 students: mythical international , 2nd: 2 equal 99.95s (one straight comm, the other comm/MBBS), 3rd: 98, 4th: 99.95. Same with most other business school units. Only a couple of exceptions.
I'd say less than 80, because people who do get between 80 - 90 can do quite well at uni. Any less than that usually means that the person has either poor study habits or isnt very talented. Either way, these people usually struggle when they get to uni. There are exceptions (i.e. my mate got high 70s and is averaging a mid-D at uni in a finance/eco major), but usually old habits die hard or the lack of ability shows even more at uni.
RishBonjour99
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Yes I agree with you - but the 90 threshold, as I made clear, was the apparent 'good' ATAR on BOS (although some people seem to think anything less than 99 is 'bad').
Unfortunately I haven't met anyone with an atar less than 80 in comm yet. Lowest was a really nice guy from a western suburbs school (81 was their highest ATAR) who dropped commerce after failing a couple of subjects (I felt quite bad for him, but he seems happier in his current degree). I put that down to bad study techniques because the degree itself in first year is not intellectually challenging. I do know a couple in mid/high 80s doing pretty good - but they usually have to work extremely hard (one's I met anyway).
d3vilz
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Guess you haven't met me haha. I'm probably one of the rarer ones that had got into Commerce with a low 70s ATAR. I got a credit average gpa at UWS and transferred. In my first semester at USYD I failed two subjects, but over than that most of my grades have been fairly consistent with mostly mid 60s-low 70s, and a couple of mid 50s. I finished my degree with credit average.
A few of the people in my cohort who got ATARs in the mid to high 80s, dropped out of uni. One of them did Bus/Law at UTS and another did civil engineering at UTS. We all went to a disadvantaged school in the western suburbs, but at the end of the day it comes down to the individual and their drive and persistence.
JohnMaximus
shepherd of the people
wow looks like people who didn't do well in the HSC can do well in uni
So how did you get into UNSW ?? curious because im planning to get in with an ATAR that wont allow me to.
isildurrrr1
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82 ATAR through SAT conversion (went to an international school). You can still get into UNSW through foundation program.
Doing a bachelor of arts, so it was enough to get me in. It is on the low side but most of my cohort are either international studies students or law/arts since i do intl relations and intl business majors.
i got an ATAR of 83 through SAT conversion but want to study science at UNSW where it needs to be 84 so i decided to take in science for one year at another institution and transfer after a year, hope transferring will be easy.